As these 52 concise, yet informative, biographical profiles demonstrate, women have always changed the world through science -- from the invention of the aquarium (Jeanne Villepreux-Power) to the development of protein crystallography (Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin) to the discovery of the Earth's inner core (Inge Lehmann). Recounting their (often overlooked) achievements in a wide variety of disciplines -- including astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, genetics, mathematics, medicine, and physics -- Headstrong also describes how each woman overcame significant obstacles to pursue her passion for knowledge.

There's a reason we refer to emotions as "feelings," according to author David J. Linden, science writer and professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. Our sense of touch is inextricably connected to our emotional lives, for good or ill. Touch also influences our physical health, cognitive development, and social interaction in subtle and profound ways. Starting with the fundamentals (tactile receptors, sensory maps) of sensory experience, this engaging book then delves into case studies that explore the effects of touch on everything from consumer behavior to intimate relationships. For another examination of touch, albeit from an anthropological perspective, check out Constance Classen's The Deepest Sense.

The tongue has one job: "to distinguish food from everything else." However, the process though which we determine what's edible is complicated, requiring an understanding of, among other areas, microbiology, genetics, and neuroscience. It also requires cleansing one's mental palate by, for example, discarding that diagram of the tongue depicting four distinct regions dedicated to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors (which has no scientific basis) and accepting that, to a large extent, taste is hereditary. If you've ever wondered why and how we eat what we eat, check out Tasty.

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